Objective   To study the characteristics of functional magnetic resonance image (fMRI) in activated brain areas under specific autobiographical memory in young patients with depression.  Methods  1.5T Simens Sonata MRI system was used to show the characteristics of fMRI in activated brain areas of 12 depression patients and 12 matched healthy volunteers under specific autobiographical memory task. fMRI data were processed using the SPM5 software. Two samples were analyzed by student’s t  test.  Results   The activation was weaker in left middle temporal gyrus (BA 21)

right fusiform gyrus (BA 37)

left cuneus (BA 18)

putamen

and stronger in the right superior parietal lobule (BA 7) in depression patients than in healthy controls (P0.01).  Conclusion  The activated brain areas are significantly different in depression patients and healthy controls under specific autobiographical memory task

indicating that the function of related brain areas in depression patients is impaired under specific memory events.